Shears.



O. W. SPRAGUB.

SHEARS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 2a, 1908.

909,470. Patented Jan. 12,1909.

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CLARENCE W. SPRAGUE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SI'EE AIRS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed May 28, 1908. Serial No. 435,515.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE W. SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shears, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in shears, and pertains more particularly to means for keeping the proper tension of the cutting edges of the blades.

The object of my invention is to provide means adapted to be attached to the ordinary pivot screw of the shears, in which the tension of the blades can be readily tightened as the blades or pivot wear.

Another object of my invention is to provide a more simple and effective device to accomplish the desired results.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view of a pair of shears showing my improved tightening means applied thereto. Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional view of the shears. Fig. 4:, is a perspective view of a pair of shears showing a modified form of my device applied thereto. Fig. 5, is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

Referrin now to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the two members of the ordinary shears which are fastened together by the screw 3 which is of the usual and common form now used in scissors, and it is the object of my invention to provide a tightening means for said ordinary pivot and scissors without changing the form of the scissors or pivot. The screw 3, as shown, is made slightly longer than the ordinary screw. The members 1 and 2 being of the usual form used in shears of the character described, it will be understood that my invention will be applicable to any character of shears or scissors.

Resting against the outer face of the member 2 of the shears is a lever 4 through which the screw 3 passes, and the head 3 of said screw rests in a recess 4 in the lever. The outer end of the lever is turned downwardly at 5 and engages the fiat surface 6 of the shears. From this it will be seen that the lever, intermediate its ends, does not engage the surface 6. The opposite end of the lever extends rearwardly adjacent the shank portion of the shear blade, as indicated at 7 and is provided with a knob or projection 8 by means of which the lever may be swung upon the screw 3. The flat surface 6 of the shears in rear of the screw and below the rear end of the lever, has a ground-out recess 9, the lower face of which is ground at an incline, as indicated at 10, and forming the shoulder 11. This lower face of the recess is provided with a series of small depressions 12 arranged in an arc of a circle, and corresponding to the swing of the rear end of the lever. The lower face of the lever 4 is provided with a downwardly-extending pin 13 which is adapted to enter the depressions, whereby the lever is held in its adjusted position. The said lever is made of metal and has enough flexibility to allow the same to spring upwardly to bring the pin 13 out of the recesses. Thus it will be seen that when the shears are new the lever +1 is in the extreme outward position with the pin in the lower end of the notch or recess 9, and the vertical portion 11 of the recess prevents the lever from passing beyond the member of the shear, as when the shears are new the proper tension is obtained through the screw 3. By this arrangement it will be seen that the lever is prevented from swinging outward and being in the way.

After usage the wear on the shears allows the cutting edges to slightly separate and therefor destroys the cutting qualities of the shears. WVhen such is the case all that is necessary is to swing the lever inward which causes the pin 13 to ride upwardly on the inclined bottom 9 of the recess and enter one of the small recesses which holds the lever in its adjusted position. The outer end of the lever being so raised the inner end 5 will bear upon the fiat surface 6 beyond the pivot and draw the two cutting edges together.

Applicant is aware that numerous patents have been granted along this line, but each and all fail to show the means whereby the lever is at all times held against swinging outward beyond the shank of the shears,

either by being accidentally released or when there is no need of tension for tightening the cutting blades.

In Figs. 4 and 5 instead of having the round recess with the inclined bottom, I

s ecure to the flat portion 6 of the scissors or shears,

is held in its adjusted position. The ends of said inclined plate is provided with outwardly extending lugs 17 and 18 against which the tooth abuts, and which limits the movement of the lever in both directions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.:

The combination with a pair of shears, of a lever mounted upon the pivot of said holding the lever in its adjusted position, and means for limiting the movement of said lever.

:2. The combination with a nary shears, of a lever mounted upon the pivot of said shears, said lever having a downwardly-turned outer end engaging the flat surface of one of the members, and the inner end having a tooth engaging an inclined serrated or recessed face, and means for limiting the movement of said lever beyond the edge of the member.

3. The combination with a pair'of ordinary shears, of a lever pivotally mounted upon the pivot of said shears and the head of the pivot embedded'in the lever, said lever having a downwardly-turned outer end engaging the flat surface of one of the members of the shears, the inner end of the lever having an outwardly-extending operating knob, and the inner face having a tooth enand means carried by the shears for 1 gaging an inclined serrated or recessed face, and a stop for preventing the lever from passing beyond the edge of the shear members.

4. The combination with a pair of ordinary shears, of a lever pivotally mounted upon the pivot screw of said shears, said lever having a downwardly-turned outer end engaging the flatsurface of the member beyond the pivot of the shears, the said member having a ground recess, the bottom of said recess being inclined forming a shoulder at one side, the inclined bottom of the recess having a segmentally-arranged series of recesses, and a pin carried by the underside of the lever and adapted to enter said recesses and whereby the outward movement pair of ordiof the lever is limited by the pin engaging the shoulders formed by the grinding of the recess.

5. The combination with a pair of ordinary shears, of a lever pivotally mounted upon the pivot-screw of the shears, said lever adapted to engage one member beyond the pivot of the shears, an inclined surface on the inside of the pivot and serrated and having upwardly turned ends to form stops to limit the movement of the lever in either direction. 7 i

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.-

CLARENGE W. SPRAGUE. WVitnesses:

A. MILLIGAN,

R. M. PURCELL. 

